Q&A with Lori Corcoran of Corcoran Vineyards
Hello Friends,
This week’s Q&A session is with Lori Corcoran, owner and winemaker of Corcoran Vineyards, located in the charming village of Waterford, just northwest of Leesburg. Corcoran Vineyards is one of Loudoun’s most popular wineries, and Lori, along with husband Jim, are producing award winning wines that have Virginia wine lovers flocking to their 1750 restored log cabin tasting room. So without further ado, here is the Q&A with Lori Corcoran. Enjoy!
Lori Corcoran - Owner & Winemaker of Corcoran Vineyards
Dezel: Was there a special bottle that initially got you into wine? If so, tell us a little about that experience. If not, what attracted you to the wonderful world of wine?
Lori Corcoran: What attracted me to the wonderful world of wine was I thought it would just be a lot of fun. It all started back in 2001 when we attended the Mount Vernon Wine Festival and decided right then and there that since we have a vineyard, why not a winery?
Dezel: Tell us a little bit about Corcoran Vineyards. I know time flies when you are having fun, and you guys have been having a ball. You opened your doors for business a little over four years ago, and now you are considered one of the top producers in Loudon County in terms of wine quality and tasting room atmosphere. What has been the key to your success?
Lori Corcoran: Our philosophy at Corcoran, from the beginning has been to produce the highest quality wines. We work hand in hand with our growers to ensure the highest quality fruit which is the basis for all quality wines.
We opened our tasting room out of the basement of our home back in 2004, with 550 cases of wine. We have not grown by much, currently producing about 2000 cases, which I feel has been one of the main reasons for our success; we still handle all aspects of both the vineyard and the winery ourselves. By remaining small, we maintain our consistency.
Our current tasting room is in a 1750’s log cabin. It is separate from our state of the art winery. You will be greeted by either Kim Smith, who is our Chief Tasting Officer and currently in training to become a sommelier, or myself. Our job is to make peoples' wine experience a little better, one glass at a time.
Relax by the pond with a glass of Corcoran's wine and enjoy
Dezel: As a winemaker, what is your wine style? Do you shoot for Corcoran wines to be more Old World, New World, or somewhere in between?
Lori Corcoran: I think my style as a winemaker is evolving every year. It is so exciting because every year harvest is different. I really try to capture the true characteristics of the grapes in every bottle. Also, I believe the more wines I try, the better my palate becomes, the better my winemaking ability becomes. My belief is to make good wines; you need to know what they taste like.
Dezel: What is your favorite food and Corcoran Vineyards wine pairing? Help us out here so we can try this match made in heaven too.
Lori Corcoran: I honestly don’t know if I have a favorite Corcoran wine & food pairing because I enjoy them all with different foods. One favorite is the Viognier with crab cakes with a little old bay seasoning, while another is buttered popcorn on movie night with our Chardonnay. Our Malbec is absolutely wonderful with dark chocolate, but it also pairs nicely with lamb. And who could forget how well the Chambourcin goes with all our feathered friends like turkey, chicken, duck & quail but on the other side it goes great with the acidity of a tomato, so pizza and spaghetti is good too. And of course there is our Cabernet Franc and steak, a must have once a month!
Dezel pouring Corcoran's Malbec for a budding wine enthusiast (Guess Who?)
Dezel: What do you consider to be the best thing about the Virginia wine industry?
Lori Corcoran: The best thing about the Virginia wine industry is the people. This includes all the wonderful friends we have made since opening the winery as well as the winery owners and the people that help make the Virginia wine industry such an incredible industry to be a part of.
Dezel: Okay, I know I said 5 questions, but I have to ask. Besides your own wines filling your wine glass, tell us at least three other Virginia producers whose wines you thoroughly enjoy?
Lori Corcoran: Some Virginia wine producers I enjoy are Veritas, Linden and Jefferson, just to name a few.
Dezel: Thanks for your time and appearing on Virginia Vine Spot Q&A, Lori. I enjoyed learning more about you and your winery and I know my friends will too. To learn more about Corcoran Vineyards click on the link below.
Happy Sipping!
Dezel
Stay tuned friends ...more to come!
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